Hi,
I'd like to chime in just to clarify that RAM/polyphony/machine thing once more for all:
1. The more RAM your machine has, the more SAMPLES you are able to load into your machine/the more articulations you are able to call up instantly. For people, that like to create tracks that sound as perfect as possible right from the scratch - like Simon and me, it is very important to have as many articulations at hand as possible. Others - like William - render their tracks one by one after the arrangement has been mocked up or scored. They don't necessarily need the largest RAM possible for that. 768MB will be just fine. Note that the WAVE LENGHTH is in no way related to the SAMPLE COUNT, so the size of a GIG doesn't tell you anything about its SAMPLE COUNT.
2. Unfortunately Gigastudio is currently not able to allocate more memory than 1GB of RAM. This might get fixed in 3.0, but they are NOT CERTAIN whether it WILL BE FIXED, since it seems OS-related. So CURRENTLY 1.256MB RAM is a perfect value for an XP system giving the OS enough headroom to run stabil at high load. A machine with 1.256GB RAM in practic behaves like this:
If you tried e.g. to load all Garritan-Strings into one machine you would already hit the ceiling having loaded around 75% of all Garritans (leaving out the "Lite's" and the "All Violins"). If you like to use all VSL instruments simultaneously in perfect shape, you will have to buy as much GS-machines as possible. With two or three GS-machines you won't run mad [:)].
3. POLYPHONY is in no way related to RAM and/or SAMPLE COUNT. It is e.g. possible to reach the max of 160 voices with only the Gigapiano loaded, which consists of around 600 samples eating up around 40MB of RAM. On the other hand it makes sense to have tons of articulations for a string quartett loaded using the maximum amount of RAM, while the polyphony of your arrangement might stay moderate and might even rarely hit 60 voices. To get a constantly streaming polyphony of 160 (80 stereo)-voices, you will need at least one modern 7200RpM-drive (IDE is just fine) for JUST THE SAMPLES (no OS here!). Since I use XP (with two fast sample-HDs), I am able to get those 160 voices permanently without glitches. Win98SE gave me fine performance, but above 140 voices I had pops and chokes.
Hope this helps!
Roman Beilharz
P.S.: Audigy - OUCH! Try it, try it, but I wouldn't expect perfect results. From that day I started to use RME Hammerfalls ONLY I never had ANY problem with Gigastudio I/Os or audio-drivers again...
